energy & fatigue

pain

OPRM1

Opioid Involvement in Fatigue (OPRM1)

Written by Shany Lahan, MS (Neuroscience) on November 4th, 2020

The OPRM1 gene codes for a receptor that can induce a variety of effects upon activation by opioids. Can a variant of OPRM1 elevate levels of fatigue? Read more to find out.

Summary

OPRM1 is a receptor that has been suggested to relieve pain and reduce fatigue when activated by opioids. A variant of OPRM1 may play a role in elevated levels of fatigue by decreasing activity, production, and/or sensitivity of this receptor. Lifestyle modifications may counteract the effects of this variant by elevating levels of opioids that are naturally made within the body.

OPRM1 and Fatigue

The OPRM1 gene codes for mu opioid receptor 1 (OPRM1). As its name suggests, OPRM1 can be activated by opioids made within the body (such as beta-endorphins), as well as opioids derived from external sources (such as morphine) [R].

Activation of OPRM1 may give rise to a variety of effects, including pain relief and reduced fatigue. In this manner, the body’s natural opioids may act to regulate levels of pain and energy, while externally-derived opioids might induce these effects in times of need [R, R].

The rs1799971-G variant of OPRM1 has been reported to decrease OPRM1 production, sensitivity, and/or activity. Due to decreased opioid efficacy, individuals carrying this variant may be at greater risk of pain disorders (such as fibromyalgia) and heightened levels of fatigue [R, R].

Interestingly, individuals with fibromyalgia and elevated fatigue have also been reported to have decreased levels of beta-endorphins [R].

Your OPRM1 Results for Fatigue

SNP Table

variant	genotype	frequency	risk allele
rs1799971

Primary SNP:

OPRM1 rs1799971 [R]

‘G’ = Increased levels of fatigue, relative to ‘A’
‘A’ = Decreased levels of fatigue, relative to ‘G’

Recommendations

Lifestyle

Exercise

Multiple studies have shown that exercise can stimulate production of the body’s natural opioids. One study suggested that this effect may lower general levels of fatigue [R, R].

Indeed, a sedentary lifestyle is a common cause of persistent fatigue, and several studies have reported that exercise may reduce fatigue in healthy individuals. Paradoxically, being ‘too tired’ was the most common excuse for not exercising in a study focused on middle-aged and elderly people [R, R, R, R].

People with chronic fatigue syndrome are at especially high risk of not meeting physical activity requirements. In people with this condition, engaging in regular physical exercise may help reduce fatigue — even more than in healthy controls, according to one meta-analysis [R, R, R].

Multiple studies have reported that exercise may help with fatigue from other conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, COPD, lupus, ALS, fibromyalgia, muscle disease, and heart failure [R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R].

However, over-exercising can lead to fatigue and several health issues. Experts recommend moderate exercise, such as brisk walking, swimming, or cycling.

Exercise may reduce fatigue by increasing the body’s natural opioids.

Massage

Massage has been reported to stimulate the release of the chemical messenger oxytocin. Studies have shown that some of the effects of oxytocin may be due to its ability to activate mu (and kappa) opioid receptors [R, R].

A handful of clinical trials found massage effective at reducing post-exercise localized muscle fatigue and soreness. However, cold water immersion seems to be more effective for generalized fatigue [R, R, R, R, R, R, R].

A small clinical trial found a combination of massage chairs and brain massage (binaural beats) effective at reducing mental fatigue and improving cognitive function [R].

A meta-analysis concluded that massage, especially myofascial release, may reduce fatigue from fibromyalgia. In a clinical trial on women with this condition, massage was more effective when combined with physical exercise [R, R].

Although another meta-analysis found massage interventions effective at reducing fatigue from breast cancer, a Cochrane review concluded that there was insufficient evidence to support massage for cancer-related fatigue due to the low quality and small size of most studies [R, R].

More limited evidence suggests that massage may also help with fatigue from chronic fatigue syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, low-back pain, hemodialysis, spinal cord injury, bone marrow transplantation, and Parkinson’s disease [R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R].

Massage may reduce fatigue by stimulating the release of oxytocin, which has been reported to activate opioid receptors.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a form of alternative treatment developed by practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine. During acupuncture, thin metal needles are inserted at acupuncture points, or acupoints [R, R].

Stimulation of acupoints is believed to promote the release of natural opioids in the body [R].

Acupuncture has been mainly applied to fatigue from chronic fatigue syndrome, cancer (especially breast cancer), and fibromyalgia. Meta-analyses concluded that it may be effective, but warned about the low quality of most studies [R, R, R].

More limited evidence suggests that acupuncture may also help with fatigue from conditions such as insomnia, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, osteoarthritis, and end-stage kidney disease [R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R].

Acupuncture may reduce fatigue by promoting the release of natural opioids in the body.

Shany Lahan

MS (Neuroscience)

Shany received her MSc in Neuroscience from Western University.

Prior to joining SelfDecode, Shany conducted research related to Alzheimer’s disease, and taught science to undergraduate students. She believes that research should be accessible to everyone, regardless of scientific background. Shany joined SelfDecode with a mission to help others optimize their health and wellbeing – as well as help them understand the science behind it all.

Disclaimer

The information on this website has not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration or any other official medical body. This information is presented for educational purposes only, and may not be used to diagnose or treat any illness or disease.

Also keep in mind that the “Risk Score” presented in this post is based only on a select number of SNPs, and therefore only represents a small portion of your total risk as an individual. Furthermore, these analyses are based primarily on associational studies, which do not necessarily imply causation. Finally, many other (non-genetic) factors can also play a significant role in the development of a disease or health condition — therefore, carrying any of the risk-associated genotypes discussed in this post does not necessarily mean you are at increased risk of developing a major health condition.

Always consult your doctor before acting on any information or recommendations discussed in this post — especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have been officially diagnosed with a medical condition.

More pain blogs

Can This Gene Worsen GERD Pain? (GNB3) Can This Gene Make You Prone to Chronic Pain (COMT)? The Heat Receptor’s Role in Pain Perception (TRPV1) Can This Gene Influence Your Sensitivity To Pain (COMT)? A Neurological Connection Between Stress and Migraines? (MEF2D) Can This Gene Influence Your Susceptibility To Headaches And Migraines? (BDNF) Is Excess Histamine Causing Your Migraines? (DAO) Can Too Much Nitric Oxide Trigger Migraines? (NOS2, NOS3) What Does the Cold Sensitivity Gene Have to Do With Migraines? (TRPM8) Serotonin Genetics in Migraine Development (HTR2C)

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